We’ve got a lot of momentum in the district right now and I’m just happy to partner with all of you.”

Hastings Superintendent Dr. Tammy Champa

“Building for the future” was the theme of the Feb. 5 State of the Community hosted by the Hastings Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau. Speakers Superintendent Dr. Tammy Champa and Hastings Mayor Mary Fasbender spoke to the accomplishments of the past year along with a look to what lies ahead including an overhaul to the high school’s classes with the Pathways Update and a new first look for the city with construction of Block 28 starting in 2027.
Champa began by discussing the 2024-2025 School Perception survey. The survey was taken by students 4-12, teachers, parents and stakeholders on what the district’s priorities should be. In order the top four responses were: safety and security, student behavior and discipline, recruiting and retaining high-quality staff, and finally a tie for fourth between mental health services and technical education.
In that same vein, the district is currently working on a new strategic plan whose basis is built in part from the results of the survey and the responses from a November Community Collaboration Committee meeting which asked attendees what was working well at the district, what needed to change, and how they would like to see the district described in five years.
Building from the district’s top priority from the perception survey, Superintendent Champa discussed the district’s new standard response protocol “i love u guys.” i love u guys is a system of protocols for situations from vomit in the hallway to a fire in the school to an active shooter.
Champa also discussed a recent pivot from the district in moving away from AP classes and toward college in the schools (CIS) classes. This change is attributed to providing students with guaranteed college credits from classes rather than relying on scoring well in an AP test in order to potentially get college credits.
“We’re really making the shift to College in the Schools so our students are not having that high-stakes test, and they know that they’re going to have those classes,” said Champa, highlighting a slew of CIS classes approved at the Jan. 22 school board meeting including College Physics, College Literature, and a partnership with Allina for the Healthcare Professionals class.
Pathways was another talking point for upcoming changes to the high school. The Pathways system is a new way of organizing classes, clubs and activities in the high school by which fields they would contribute to. Students can register for classes using the new Pathways registration guide and see which classes would build toward a specific industry like human services, law, public safety, corrections and digital security and then work to get college credits in that area.
In 2024 the school board also welcomed its first student board members: Briseis Rusnacko, Victoria Steinke, Jenevieve Behnke, and Aidan Suarez Garcia. These students sit alongside board members but are not able to vote. Especially for the shift toward CIS and when discussing the Pathways update, student board members have provided insight from inside the schools, often lamenting that they were unable take advantage of more CIS classes during their own time at the high school.
“We’ve got a lot of momentum in the district right now and I’m just happy to partner with all of you,” said Champa.
Fasbender then spoke about what has been happening at the city. The city recently hosted the winner of the “Mayor for a Day” contest, sixth grader Amelia Caponigri. In her essay for the contest Caponigri proposed a new community group to simply help those in need called “Comneedity.”
“It’s ideas like this that show just how innovative and caring our youth can be,” said Fasbender.
Fasbender spoke to the upcoming Hockey Day Minnesota, which will be held in Hastings in 2026. The event is expected to bring in up to 20,000 visitors.
The specter of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) was also discussed at the otherwise optimistic meeting. Last year Hastings formalized its plan to build three water treatment plants across the city in order to treat city water for the EPA’s new standards going into effect in 2029.
The city has moved quickly to prepare for the $68.9 million construction of three water treatment plants, pivoting to begin work on the central water treatment plant where ground is expected to be broken this year at 1292 N. Frontage Road. The change in the order of water treatment plants occurred due to the city successfully tying the contamination of city well 5 to the 3M dumping site in Cottage Grove and therefore to the 2018 3M settlement fund. Hastings will receive some $14 million towards the central water treatment plant which offset the water rate increases from 30% down to 10% beginning on Jan. 1, 2025.
“We prioritize safe drinking water for our residents as we continue to work finding financial assistance; we are grateful for our elected officials including Sen. Judy Seeberger, Rep. Tom Dippel and former Rep. Shane Hudella for their tireless advocacy,” said Fasbender.
Last year saw the most single-family homes built in Hastings in 20 years at 43 houses. Several apartment complexes, Current 33 and Lake Isabel Flats, were finished in the city totaling 300 new units.
In partnership with Dakota County, the final leg of the Mississippi Greenway was completed connecting downtown Hastings to St. Paul via a continuous greenway. The city of Hastings also completed major upgrades at Lake Isabel Park including a new playground, basketball court and picnic shelter.
Fasbender also spoke to the future construction at Block 28 at the southwest corner of Fourth Street West and Highway 61, what has been called the “Gateway project.”
“This will be the site of a mixed-use development that aligns with the planned Highway 61 expansion set to begin in 2027,” said Fasbender.
“As you can see, together, we’re making great strides in building a vibrant and sustainable future for Hastings. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished and I’m excited about what lies ahead.” Said Fasbender.